NEPA Alliance event 'brings the world' to Northeastern Pennsylvania

Mar. 11—DUPONT — Instead of flying thousands of miles around the world, businesses in Northeastern Pennsylvania on Monday could take just a few steps and travel from Southeast Asia, to the Middle East, to the United Kingdom, to China, India, most of Europe, Canada and Australia to negotiate deals.

Covering 44 international markets worldwide, Authorized Trade Representatives, who are professional business consultants contracted by the state to help Pennsylvania businesses export products and services worldwide, were in the area meet with regional businesses free of charge.

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance hosted its premier international business event — Bringing the World to Northeastern Pennsylvania — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, at The Venue/Culinary Creations by Metz, Dupont.

Trade Representatives from Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Israel, Mexico, Netherlands, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom participated.

Bringing the World to Northeastern Pennsylvania was organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Office of International Business Development.

Companies interested in selling their goods and services overseas seized the opportunity to learn about the business development resources available to them and network with Pennsylvania's Authorized Trade Representatives from around the world at this unique event.

Funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's Office of International Business Development, the Authorized Trade Representatives provide in-market export development services to Pennsylvania businesses.

Services were provided free of charge and include customized foreign market intelligence, regulatory information, agents and distributor candidates, industry and government contacts, on-the-ground assistance when visiting these markets, and other export-related assistance.

And all participants were pleased with the event.

Like Neil Edley, owner of Sugar Plum Chocolates in Forty Fort for 29 years, who said he was optimistic about his meetings with the international sales representatives.

"Absolutely, this was a great event," Edley said. "This is brings the world to NEPA. I'm confident we will be expanding our international sales."

Edley had just completed a session with May Abrera, Authorized Trade Representative for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

"Yes, this is a great event for us as well," Abrera said. "We are growing our economy. We need more options to be competitive."

Philip Williams, founder & CEO of Game Face Products in East Stroudsburg, also raved about the event.

"I love this," Williams said of the opportunity to met with so many international representatives. "Lots of upside here today. I'm hoping we can make some new relationships and export our products internationally."

Steve Ursich, vice president of Business Services at NEPA Alliance, said the day-long event is well worth the planning.

"There are so many opportunities here today that regional businesses can find out if their products and trends can connect with international countries," Ursich said. "This is a great way to find out what international countries are looking for to sell."

Last week, Jeffrey Box, president and CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance, said Pennsylvania's 13 Authorized Trade Representatives would be seeking foreign market intelligence and agent and distributor candidates, as well as industry and government contacts. He said the event is for companies in all stages of export development.

Debbie Langan, senior international business manager at NEPA Alliance, helped coordinate the event. She said NEPA Alliance, a regional community and economic development agency, serves Carbon, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, Schuylkill and Wayne counties.

'Bringing the World to PA' is key to

Pa.'s economic development strategy

The Shapiro Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) on Monday said they want the world to know that Pennsylvania is open for business.

Highlighting that, DCED and its Office of International Business Development (OIBD) will hold "Bringing the World to Pennsylvania" events, like the one in NEPA Monday, across the Commonwealth from March 11 through March 22.

The statewide tour will present an opportunity for Pennsylvania companies interested in exporting their products, services, and technologies to meet OIBD's authorized representatives to discuss their international sales objectives with authorized representatives from fourteen nations.

In addition, the program provides opportunities for communities throughout the Commonwealth to showcase sites, buildings, and industry-specific strengths to attract international investment.

"The Office of International Business Development takes Gov. Josh Shapiro's Economic Development Strategy very seriously and is hard at work attracting global business and industry to Pennsylvania," said OIBD Deputy Secretary David Briel. "Our investment team provides the support and technical assistance that international companies need to establish and grow in Pennsylvania, while our trade development team helps hundreds of Pennsylvania companies each year to connect with buyers around the world who need their products."

In the past year, OIBD supported 643 Pennsylvania companies to export more than $584.6 million and 20 international companies locating to Pennsylvania to invest more than $489 million. Through this export and investment work, OIBD has been able to support over 12,600 Pennsylvania jobs.

The Governor's 2024-25 budget calls for significant investments to help attract national and international investment in Pennsylvania that are directly tied back to his ten-year Economic Development Strategy.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.